Lenox Insights

Emily Ciotoli Smith, CFP®, Financial Planner
February 28th, 2017 | 1:46 PMCRTs and CLTs offer philanthropic and family benefits. For many people, a significant part of the estate planning process is deciding how (and how much) they want to leave to charity. Charitable remainder trusts (CRTs) and charitable lead trusts (CLTs) can offer particularly effective ways to achieve such goals and benefit family members. READ MORE>>

Megan Bergman, CFP®,Director of Asset Management
January 30th, 2018 | 10:05 AMIn a fast-paced investment landscape, top-performing securities and sectors can change by the hour. What tends to remain consistent, however, are: adopting a margin of safety, investing in what you understand and holding great companies for the long term.READ MORE>>

ChadJaffee, CFP®, Financial Planner
January 3rd, 2018 | 12:05 PMThe rush and bustle of the holidays are finally over and your life is probably getting back to normal. If greater financial stability is one of your New Year’s resolutions, you probably can benefit from a financial checkup this January.READ MORE>>

December 22nd, 2017 | 9:10 AM
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act has been approved and will become law in 2018. It is intended to be comprehensive tax reform that reduces taxes and stimulates the economy to create jobs. But what does it mean to you? It is easy to be overwhelmed by the complexity of the Bill. READ MORE

December 7th, 2017 | 2:40 PM
The Good, The Bad And The Money: What The Tax Cuts And Jobs Act Could Mean For You? The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 is intended to be comprehensive tax reform that reduces taxes and stimulates the economy to create jobs. Whether a final measure will be enacted is uncertain and it’s also unclear as to when final action will be taken, which could impact the effective date of various provisions. READ MORE>

Jane Schroeder, Senior Vice President
November 1st, 2017 | 11:10 AMLife changes constantly and your insurance needs change with it. That’s why it’s important to review your life insurance coverage on a regular basis to ensure it still meets your needs. A Policy Review is a critical component of a sound financial planning strategy. READ MORE

Darren Gerstenblatt, Partner October 11th, 2017 | 3:35 PMA long-term disability can be one of the most devastating threats to a family’s financial security. An illness or injury can start a downward spiral that may be difficult to recover from. Yet most of the young people we meet with, and many older individuals as well, don’t understand the risks of being disabled, … READ MORE

Thomas J. Kavanagh, CFP®, Financial Planner
September 20th, 2017 | 12:57 PMGiven the astronomical cost of college, even wealthier parents should consider applying for financial aid. Note, however, that one misstep can harm your child’s eligibility. The following are pointers to help you avoid mistakes and maximize aid…READ MORE>>September 9th, 2017 | 10:51 AM
On Thursday, Equifax, one of the three main credit reporting agencies, said that identifying information for 143 million customers had potentially been compromised. How do I know if my personal information has been taken?Unfortunately, you may want to assume that it was. Cyberattacks happen all the time. READ MORE>

September 6th, 2017 | 12:57 PMHurricanes are strong storms that can be life-threatening as well as cause serious hazards such as flooding, storm surge, high winds and tornadoes. Learn what to do to keep you and your loved ones safe. READ MORE>>

You know your estate plan accounts for your physical assets, such as real estate, art and collectibles, and vehicles. But does it cover “digital” assets such as e-mail and online bank accounts? If you don’t include digital assets in your estate plan, your estate’s executor and your family members may have difficulty accessing them without going to court. READ MORE>>

Megan Bergman, CFP®,Director of Asset Management
August 3rd, 2017 | 10:05 AMWhy do people still seek out Financial Advisors? After all, it’s not like 20 years ago when the internet was in its early stages and investment information wasn’t that easy to obtain. And it’s also not like there are no lower cost alternatives available.READ MORE>>

Jonathan Wittlin, CPA®, CFP,
Head of Financial Planning
June 7th, 2017 | 12:16 PMDo you know if you’re likely to be subject to the alternative minimum tax (AMT) — and what actions can trigger it? If not, you need to find out so that you can consider taking steps to address potential AMT liability. READ MORE>>

ChadJaffee, CFP®, Financial Planner
May 24th, 2017 | 4:05 PMAnticipating “what-ifs” is one of the major responsibilities of business owners: “What if we don’t get the loan?” or “What if we lose our biggest account?” here’s another one: “What if a
co-owner dies, becomes disabled or retires?”READ MORE>>

Emily Ciotoli Smith, CFP®, Financial Planner
May 3rd, 2017 | 2:05 PMEven though software developer Josie held several patents and copyrights, it never occurred to her to include them in her estate plan — until her estate planning advisor raised the issue. He explained that these intangible assets can be highly valuable and that anyone who owns intellectual property (IP) needs to decide how they want to pass the assets to their heirs. READ MORE>>

Thomas J. Kavanagh, CFP®, Financial Planner
March 29th, 2017 | 12:05 PMData security becomes more important each year. At least once a year we encourage our clients to ensure they are taking appropriate steps to mitigate the risk of identity theft and other issues related to loss of personal information. READ MORE>>

Jonathan Wittlin, CPA®, CFP, Head of Financial Planning
February 22nd, 2017 | 10:05 AMThe nation’s tax system has been largely in a steady state for several years, but that may change in 2017. Republican control of the Presidency, House, and Senate opens the door for significant change, however, what that change may look like is anybody’s guess at this point. It is still too early to know what President Trump will officially propose and most of the chatter around his policy is based on various strategies he promoted throughout his campaign.READ MORE>>